California voids Gay/Lesbian Marriages

[Lady Sidhe]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

OK, I had the terminology messed up. They sign the certificate. In any case, all you need for the benefits of a civil marriage is paperwork, which you can get without clergy. And a church can give a religious marriage without filing any paperwork, and you won't get the legal benefits. Or you could do both. The systems are separate already.

The objection is religious, though. There are a lot of benefits you get being married that you don't get with a civil union. Gays are being denied these benefits merely on the basis of sexual orientation. Wasn't that long ago when gender and color were used to deny rights to people, as well.

My point is that religion, along with its moral objections to individuals' private lifestyles, (which, incidentally, affect no one) should not be used as a basis for laws. Religious laws are always persecutory to those who don't follow the religion, at least as far as I've seen.


Sidhe